Protecting shores



No. 61!,588. Patented Sept-27, [898. S. W. BROOKS.

PROTECTING SHORES.

(Application filed Mar. 31, 1898.)

2 Sheets-$heet I (No Model.)

.YNE ucmms PETERS coy. vucfo umon wnsnmcn'om o c No. 611,588. PatentedSept. 27, I893. S. W. BROOKS.

PROTECTING SHORES.

(Application filed Mar. 31, 1898.) (n M ode|.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

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*NITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL V. BROOKS, OF BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS.

PROTECTING SHORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 611,588, datedSeptember 2'7 1898.

Application filed March 31, 1898. Serial No. 675,949. (No model.) 7

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL W. BRooKs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brownsville, in the county of Cameron and State of Texas,have invented new and use ful Improvements in Protections for River-Banks and Ooast-Washings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in j etties or retaining-wallsfor the protection of river-banks and coast-washings and the novelty andmany advantages will appear from the following description and claimswhen taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1is a perspective View of two sections of the framework and grills withparts broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of myimprovements, showing the same in position and anchored to a river-bank.Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken through one of thecoupling-joints and in the plane indicated by the dotted line 00 w ofFig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the cuff which I employ forconnecting the diagonal braces to the piles.

Referring by letter to said drawings, A indicates the piles, which arecomposed of pipe or tubing of sufficient diameter and length. In theconstruction these piles are first placed in the river-bed at suitabledistances apart and may be either driven, screwed, or pumped, accordingto the kind and nature of the earth in which they are to be placed.After the piles have been inserted as described they are filled withcement or or other suitablema terial, so as to give them sufficientstrength and stability.

B indicates a rail which is also composed of pipe or tubing of metal orthe like and connects the upper ends of the piles by couplings b.

From the construction illustrated it will be seen that I employ a doublerow of piles A and A, which are of similar construction and set in thesame manner, with a sufficient space between. Cross-ties D, which arealso hollow, connect the rails B, and consequently the piles A, with therails 13 and the piles A. The couplings for the rails and piles of theinner set are of a general cruciform shape, as shown at 0, having adepending socket d to receive the upper end of the pile,horizontally-disposed sockets e to receive the rails, and sockets f,which are. also horizontally disposedand in a plane at right angles, orapproximately so, torthe'sockets e, to receive the cross-ties-D and alsobank-braces E, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

As it is desirable in the construction of the framework that the pilesshould beheld very firmly I employ diagonal braces F, which arepreferably pitched in opposite directions alternately, as shown. Thesediagonal braces, which are also composed of pipe or tubing, are receivedat their upper ends in a socket g, disposed obliquely,'as shown, andtheir opposite or lower ends takeinto a similarly-disposed socket h of acuff G. This cuff, as better shown in Fig. a of the drawings, is formedin two hinged sections 11 and j, the section "6 carrying the socket h,which may or may not be internally screw-threaded. When the socket isprovided with a screwthread, the brace. F must also be screwthreaded;but when the socket is left plain the brace may be received therein, andin order to prevent the brace from drawing out it may be secured in anysuitable manner, a very convenient means being to displace the materialof the socket and force it into the material of the brace by means of achisel and hammer, the small circles on the couplings being intended toshow where the chiselpoint has been placed. Each section of the cuffcarries a lug-eye 70, which are designed to register when the cuff hasbeen closed, and a bolt Z or pin may be employed in the lugeyes tosecure the sections of the cufi upon the piles. It is obvious, however,that other suitable means might be employed for this purpose. For thepurpose of rendering the connections strong and durable I prefer toinsert a section of pipe or tubing H in each coupling, as better shownin Fig. 3 of the drawings, and these sections H may extend sufficientlybeyond the joint of the coupling into the piles, cross ties, or braces,as the case may be.

p The bank braces E are anchored at their innerends in the bank, asshown, and such anchors are illustrated as composed of short sections ofpipe or tubing I and may beof a less diameter than the other tubingemployed zoo in the construction of the frame. These pipes or tubes Iare connected to the inner ends of the bank-braces by T-couplings m andin a manner similar to the couplings employed at the other joints of theframe. I would have it understood that I do not wish to limit myself tothe form or construction of anchors employed, as any means which willhold the framework to the bank might be used for the purpose, although Iprefer to use the means herein shown.

After the frame has been constructed as described I provide each row ofpiles with a grillage, which. I preferably form of stout wire and insections, as shown at J. These sections may have a stout binding-wire n,and after being placed in an upright position and longitudinally betweenthe piles they are secured to such piles by wire loops p or othersuitable fastening devices. The space between each row of piles providedwith the grillage is then filled in with brush K or the like, as bettershown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, when a very substantial jetty orprotection will be formed for the bank.

While I have shown and described a construction using two sets or rowsof piles, and such is very desirable, yet in some cases where thewashings are not so great or the force of the stream so powerful asingle row of piles might be employed, in which case the bankbraceswould extend directly from the couplings at the upper ends of the pilesto the anchors in the bank, and such piles would be placed at asufficient distance from the bank to permit the filling of the brush orother material between the bank and the grillage se cured to the piles.

By constructing the framework of pipe or tubing I not only get a verycheap construction, but a Very strong, fireproof, and durable one andone that may be carried out without the employment of skilled labor. Itis obvious that any number of sections might be employed, although underordinary circumstances I have found that two rows of piles with thegrillage are sufficient to protect the bank.

While I have described that either threaded couplings, or couplingsindented, or the material displaced might be used, yet in some cases Imight indent the threaded couplings, so as to displace the material andthereby form an additionally secure joint.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim .is

1. A protection for river-banks and coastwashings comprising a framemade up of piles, rails connecting the piles and braces connected withthe piles and having anchors, a grillage secured to the piles, and asuitable filling, substantially as specified.

2. A frame composed of pipe or tubing and comprising piles filled withcement or the like, rails connecting the piles at their upper ends,cross-ties connecting the rails and piles, diagonal braces alsoconnecting said piles, bankbraces secured at one end to the rails andcarrying anchors at their opposite ends, in combination with a grillagesecured to the piles and a suitable filling on the inside of thegrillage, substantially as'specified.

3. The combination with two vertical rows of piles; of diagonal bracesfor said piles, and the hinged cuff adapted to clamp the piles andprovided with an obliquely-disposed socket to receive the brace,substantially as specified.

4. In a protection for river-banks and coastwashings, the combinationwith piles composed of pipe or tubing and having a filling of cement orthe like; of a grillage formed in sections and secured to the piles,substantially as specified.

5. A protection for river-banks and coastwashings made up of piles,rails and crossties connecting the piles, and extended braces Econnected with the piles and having anchors, grillage-sectionsinterposed between and connected to the piles, and a suitable filling onthe inside of the grillage, substan- I tially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL W. BROOKS.

Witnesses:

LOUIS KowALsKI, STANLEY WELCH.

